As enjoyable as skiing is, it comes with its own set of injuries when not done in the proper way. Aside from falling when on the slopes, something that both beginners and experts experience at one point or another, there is the risk of hurting your knees and shins when skiing.

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As an alpine skier, you will encounter obstacles on the slopes, This could be a hidden rock mass, trees or even a fellow skier. If you slalom ski, the danger comes from those sturdy slalom gates. Shin injuries are serious business and could put you out for the count, taking away some of those precious ski days. To prevent that from happening, you need shin guards. These offer shin protection for skiers so that your legs are protected at all times.

In this article, we will look at the reasons why you need shin guards for skiing, just in case you are not sold to the idea. We will look at the pointers you should consider before buying a shin guard and finally, we will review some of the best ski shin guards to consider for your skiing adventure.

 

Benefits of shin guards

Shin guards are designed to protect your knees and shins from injury when you collide with obstacles on the course. While they are mainly worn by slalom racers to protect them from impact from the slalom gates, shin guards are a piece of necessary equipment for any skier.

The material on the outside is designed to withstand high impact when you come into contact with a hard obstacle. Hitting or falling on a rock on the slope can be disastrous to your shins when skiing. The injury might be so serious as to require surgery to repair it. The outer material of a shin guard is designed to be shatter-resistant so that your bones will remain intact even when you hit an obstacle.

The interior of most shin guards comes with padding that is meant to absorb the shock of impact. Most padding is made of foam, a material that provides comfortable resting for your knee caps and shins when you collide with an obstacle. Memory foam padding adjusts the interior of your shin guard to the particular curve of your knee, offering better protection from impact.

 

Buying guide

Construction material

Many shin guards are made of high-quality plastic. Thermoplastic (TPU) or polyethylene plastic is the most common material for the exterior of the shin guard. This plastic is designed to withstand impact and keep it away from the interior of the shin guard. This way your shins are protected and you can go on skiing without stopping. Look out for plastic that is shatterproof and durable because that means you will not have to buy a new pair of shin guards after just one day on the slopes.

Fit and padding

The interior of many shin guards is padded with a material that is shock absorbent. No matter the level of impact to the outer shell of the shin guard, your shins will not break because the padding absorbs the extra shock that the outer shell of your shin guard was unable to absorb. Memory foam padding adjusts to the specific curve of each of your shins for the best protection of your knees and shins.

Size

Shin guards come in different sizes for differently-sized individuals. Shorter shin guards, measured from the bottom to the top through the center, are meant for shorter individuals like junior and kid skiers. Longer shin guards are designed for adults. You need to look out for the adjustability of the shin guards. Even longer shin guards have adjustable straps so that you can fit them to your knees and shins exactly. When trying out shin guards, ensure that your knee cap is completely covered and that the shin guard ends right before the upper cuff of your ski boots. This way your shin and knee will be completely protected.

Adjustability

It is important that you are able to adjust your shin guards to suit your individual needs. To this end, many shin guards come with hooks so that you can pull up the ski guard up to the desired height on your leg. Cutting marks are important so that you know where to stop and secure your shin guard. Many shin guards also have two or more straps so that you can tightly secure the shin guard at the desired fit and length. These straps should remain at the desired specification so that you can ski as fast as you want without worrying about whether or not your shin guards will come undone.

 

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Best Ski Shin Guards (Adult & Junior) 2025

 

1. G-Form Pro S Compact Shin Guard

The Pro-S shin guards by G-Form is a pair of flexible but durable guards that deliver impressive impact resistance. They feature the innovative G-Form SmartFlex padding with hinge-like flexibility that makes them soft and comfortable to give you great range of motion during normal use. The guards become hard and protective on impact and then go back to their flexible form after impact. 

Coming in a range of sizes from small to extra-large, the Pro-S shin guards comply with the NOCSAE and CE USA and EU play standards making them safe for use especially by young players. Additionally, they feature snugly fitting and highly breathable UPF 50+ compression sleeves with silicone grippers, these guards are designed to stay put once worn on the legs. They are easy to clean and maintain by simply machine washing and air drying. They are also lightweight and waterproof which gives them an added advantage over other guards in their league. 

Pros 

• Offer a snug fit 
• Comfortable and flexible but hardens and protects on impact
• Waterproof and lightweight 
• Comes in a range of sizes 

Cons 

• The snug fit may be uncomfortable for others however getting one size higher sorts this issue

 

2. POC Shins Classic Snow Armor

These ski leg guards are designed to protect your legs from accidents and injury when you are having fun on the slopes. They are made of high-density polyethylene plastic that is hard and absorbs any external impact. This way, your shins, and ski boots are protected from bumps in case you run into a ski gate.

On the inside, these guards are padded with high-quality silicone-printed EVA. This padding absorbs the impact from any bumps, offering your knees and shins further protection. These shin guards are 15 inches (38 cm) in length from the middle, long enough to suit even taller users. For ease of use, there are hooks at the top so that you can easily pull them up after wearing them. There are also cutting marks so that you can adjust the length.

Pros

• Made of high-quality plastic
• Silicone padding absorbs the impact from bumps
• Cutting markers for easy length adjustment
• Has hooks for easy pulling up after wearing

Cons

• Do not have Velcro closing straps

 

3. Leki World Cup Pro Adult Shin Guards

These shin guards are designed for professional skiers and are optimized for skiing competitions. They are constructed from high-quality ABS material that is designed to withstand the deadly impact of ski gates. These shin guards are designed for the highest level of skiing competitions, even the World Cup.

The interior of these shin guards is filled with memory foam padding that molds to your legs. This way you are protected from injury in case you slam into something. The shin guards are 15.7 inches (40 cm) from the middle, suitable for any adult. There are also Velcro straps to ensure that the length and width you adjust the shin guards to remain intact. This way you can concentrate on your skiing without worrying that your shin guards will loosen up.

Pros

• Made of high-quality ABS to withstand impact from bumps
• Has memory foam padding to absorb impact from bumps
• Velcro strap that keeps the shin guards intact after adjusting
• Designed for high-level professional competitions

Cons

• Velcro straps might get caught in clothes

 

4. Zipline Racing Ski Shin Guard

These are some of the best shin guards out there, so good that the US Ski Team uses them for competitions. They are made from Thermoplastic shell that withstands a lot of impact without being affected. This shell is resistant to shattering, a great feature to protect you from those slamming ski gates.

Inside, the shin guards are filled with EVA foam padding that sticks to your shins and stays put no matter how vigorous the skiing gets. The Velcro straps ensure that the adjustment you have set to the shin guards remains put. That way you can concentrate on your game without having to worry about your shin guards shifting. These are one-size-fits-all shin guards and so they can be work by every skier and adjusted to the desired length and width.

Pros

• Made of shatter-resistant Thermoplastic
• Foam padding that absorbs impact to protect from injury
• Velcro straps that keep the adjustments stable
• One-size fits all shin guards, suitable for any user

Cons

• Velcro straps may get caught to skiing clothes

 

5. Komperdell Adult Shinguard Profi

These shin guards are designed to protect you from slamming slalom gates that can otherwise cause serious injury. The exterior is made of high-quality thermoplastic that can withstand high levels of impact without bending or breaking. You can be assured that your shins will be protected.

The foam padding found on the inside of these shin guards is thick. It absorbs all the shock from mechanical impact to your shins. You will not be injured and so you can continue with your skiing without worries. These skis are made for adults of all sizes. They are also suitable for skiers of up to age 16. They are adjustable to the size that best suits your shins, and they remain in place through the high-quality Velcro straps.

Pros

• Thermoplastic outer shell to withstand impact
• Thick interior foam padding to absorb shock from impact
• Adjustable straps to suit any size of user
• Velcro straps keep the shin guard in place

Cons

• Velcro straps might stick to ski clothes

 

6. Leki World Cup Pro Junior Shin Guards

These shin guards are also designed for junior skiers, and can also act as kids’ shin guards for skiing. Like all Leki products, they are optimized for the highest levels of skiing, including tough competitions like the World Cup.

They are made from high-quality plastic. This plastic is designed to withstand high levels of impact, whether from slalom gates or obstacles on the course. This way, your shin remains protected in case of an accident. The interior of these shin guards is foam-padded. The form enhances the ability of the shin guard to mold to your shin, protecting your shin bones from reverberating shock from impact. They are 13 inches (33 cm) in height, suited for junior skiers. This height is adjustable through Velcro straps that keep the shin guards at the desired setting. You will ski freely without worrying about your shin guards loosening.

Pros

• Measures 1 ft in height is suitable for junior skiers
• The hard plastic case withstands the impact
• Foam padding that molds to the specific curve of the shin for shock absorption
• Velcro straps keep the desired adjustments stable

Cons

• Care has to be taken so that Velcro does not stick to ski clothes

 

Conclusion

Whether you are a skiing expert or a novice, slalom training or not, you need to be protected at all times so you can make the best use of your time out on the slopes. It is for this purpose that shin guards were invented, and they are an absolute must-have when you are skiing.

Shin guards are highly versatile, allowing you to adjust the length and fit depending on the size of your shin. Whether you are a man, woman or junior skier, there is a shin guard out there for everyone. The shock absorption capabilities and the comfortable interior padding will make you be grateful that you are wearing shin guards when you collide with an obstacle when skiing. So what are you waiting for: pick a pair of shin guards from the reviewed list and have a safe and enjoyable time on the slopes!